Message #797 - THE_HERBALIST 
   Date: 04-09-96 09:30
   From: Song Bird
     To: Shadowolf
Subject: white oak concoctions
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> I was given some dried herbs by a friend who didn't know what they were
> used for and would like any and all insight about what they are used for.
> Here is the list...
 
> White Oak Bark
 
I'll tackle this one first. :)
 
White oak bark, IME, is a *powerful* astringent.  I've used it on skin
lesions to reduce swelling by cutting a bit of muslin cloth, dropping into it
the chopped bark, steeping it in hot water with a bit of marshmallow root
powder for mucilage, and then applying the bag (once cool) to the
swelling/lesion.  It reduced a quarter sized raised lesion, after lancing, to
nothing.
 
Lancing can really only do so much, it'll take out the crud but it won't help
the swollen skin.
 
I'd have a care with white oak bark.  I wouldn't use it in the normal
astringent applications like for the face or for mild rashes.  It can be too
strong for those things - though if carefully done with proper dilution I
suppose it would be alright.  Still, I tend to think of witch hazel and other
gentler astringents for ointments and things.
 
Song Bird

--- DB 1.58/003113
 * Origin: Song Bird's Eyrie (93:9902/0)
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